Method of and machine for making rug strips



, 'F; J. HENRY METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUG STRIPS Filed June 9, 1923 I5 Sheets-Sheet 1 'Aug. 19 1924.

F. J. HENRY METHOD 0F AND MACHINE FOR MAKING RUG STRIPS Filed Juno 9, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug, 1.9, 1924,

UNITED ETA'FES FATENT OFFICE.

METHOD 013 AND IVEAGF'I'TNE FUR MAKING R'U'Gr STRIPS.

Application filed June 9,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lrnown that I, Fnnmniloii J. HENRY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taunton, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of and Ma chines for Making Rug Strips, of which the following is a specification.

lhis invention has for its object to pro vide strips of woven textile fabric adapted to be woven into rugs, 'or other floor coverings, and having frayed edges adapted to form pile surfaces at opposite sides of the rug, each strip being composed of relatively short lengths or sections, placed end to end, overlapping at their meeting ends, and connected by a reinforcing cord or cords extending the entire length of the strip.

The invention is embodied in the improved method of making strips characterized as above stated, andin an improved machine for producing said strips.

()f the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine whereby the method may be practiced Figure 2 is a longitudinal. section of the twister shown by Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is an end view of the twister.

Figure 4c is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing parts of the machine including the twister hereinafter described.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing other parts of the machine including the rotary tube hereinafter described.

Figure. 7 is an end view of the machine, parts being broken away.

Figures 8 and 9 are respectively a side and an end view of the strip guides hereinafter described.

Figure 10 is a fragmentary perspective view, showing portions of a strip and of the tapes between which the strip is fed to the machine. 1 I

Figure 11 shows conventionally. a portion of the strip after its edges have. been frayed,

Figure 12 shows conventionally portion. of the strip with a connecting cord laid thereon.

Figure 13 is a section on line 13-13 of Figure 12, showing two longitudinal connecting threads, one at each side of the strip.

Figure 14 shows conventionally a portion of the strip with a longitudinal connecting 1923. Serial. No, 644,479.

thread and crossed threads securing the con necting thread to the strip.

Figure 15 is a side view of a portion of a twisted strip.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

In practising my improved method, I cut from woven textile fabric, preferably worn out carpeting of any description, having warp threads and weft threads. crossing the warp threads,'narrow strip sections (Figure 10) of any length permitted by the condition of the carpeting, the cut being parallel with one set of threads, so that each section has a set of longitudinal threads 20 and a set of transverse threads 20 as shown conventionally by Figure 10. The sections are assembled end to end to form a strip of indeterminate length, their meeting ends being overlapped as indicated at 21, Figure 10. To permit the strip to be fed or moved endwise without displacement of the sections, 1 assemble the'strip sections 20 between two tapes 22, which are coextensive in length with the completed strip, and may be two hundred yards, more. or less, in length, the pieced strip and the tapes being preferably wound on a supply spool not shown, the tapes and the pieced strips constituting an elongated laminated strip, and the tapes being adapted'to be simultaneously pulled by means hereinafter described, to advance the pieced strip endwise, and separated from the strip at a point adjacent to the means employedfor fraying the opposite edges of the strip, so that the strip emerges from between the tapes just before it is frayed. lhe emerging portion of the strip is subjected to the action of suitable fraying instrumentalities, such as the saws hereinafter descril'ied, which remove some of the longitudinal threads 20 from opposite edges of the strip, and leave said threads at the central portion of the strip, as shown conventionally by Figure 11, so that the transverse threads 2O form fringes projecting in opposite directions from the central portion of the strip which remains intact, because it includes a suflicient number of longitudinal threads 20. To connect the frayed sections 20, and prevent any displacement of any section relative to any other section, I apply to the central portion of the strip a connecting cord or stout thread 2-1, which. extends continuously from end to end of the completed strip, and across the joints at 21, formed by the overlapping ends of the sections. I prefer to provide two connecting threads 24, one at each side of the strip, as shown by Figure 13.

The connecting threads 24 are secured upon the strip by crossed securing threads 25 and 26, which are wound helically around the intact central portion of the strip, as shown conventionally by Figure 14, the securing threads extending across the sides of the central portion, and across the edges thereof between the crossed threads.

Before applying the securing threads 26, l twist the strip so that it has the helical form shown by Figure 15, the thread 25 being wound upon the strip before it is i twisted, and the thread 26 being applied at a point spaced from the point of application of the thread 25. The twist is formed between said points, and the tension of the thread 26 is such that the twist is maintained in the completed strip.

By the described method I provide at a small expense, an elongated pieced strip which may be of any desired length, and, by reason of the twist, has a rope-like form enabling it to constitute a series of somewhat bulky and very ornamental weft or filling strands, when interwoven with suitable warp threads or strands to form a rug.

The fringes formed by the frayed edges of the strips form pile surfaces on the opposite sides of the rug. Sufficient tensile strength isimparted to the pieced strips by the connecting cord or cords 24, to prevent the pulling apart of the sections 20 during the weaving operation.

WVhile the described method may be practiced by hand, I prefer to practice it by the improved machine next described.

27 represents a bed or table supported by uprights 28. Adjacent to one end of the bed are standards 29, suitably connected to form a frame or stand supporting lower and upper idle rolls 30 and 31, between which the strip 20 and tapes 22 pass from a spool (not shown) on which they were originally wound. The upper tape passes beside a guide roll 32, to a spool 33 on which it is wound, the spool being in frictional contact with and rotated by a drum 34, on a shaft 35, which is rotated by suitable connections with the main driving shaft 36 of the machine. The lower tape passes beside a guide roll 37 to a spool 38, which is similarly rotated by a drum 39, on a shaft 40, also rotated by connections with the driving shaft. The strip passes from the point where it emerges from between the tapes 22 on to aguide 41, fixed to the bed 27, said guide having a concave face 42 (Figure 8) and strip edge guides 43.

A serrated feed roll 44 engages the upper surface of the strip above the guide face 42. The shaft 45 of said roll is journaled in swinging arms 46, so that it may be raised from its operative position, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. Said shaft is driven by suitable connections with the driv ing shaft 36. Located at opposite sides of the guide 41 are two saws 47, arranged to fray the opposite edges of the portion of the strip which is passing over the guide, by removing the outer longitudinal threads. Said saws are fixed to arbors 48, journaled in fixed bearings on the bed .47 and rotated simultaneously in opposite directions by suitable connections with the driving shaft 36. The frayed strip is fed by the feed roll 44, through a guide 49 (Figure 1), having orifices 50 through which the connecting cords 24 pass from spools 51, supported by a bracket 52 on the frame of the machine.

The frayed strip is forced by the feed roll 44 through a twister composed of an elongated outer tube 53, and an inner tube 54, fixed to the outer tube and having slots in its outer end.

The twister is rotated by suitable conneeward into the slots, an engagement being thus set up between the strip and the twister, causing the twisting of the strip within the twister. The confining thread 25 is wound on a spool 57, carried by a head 58 which is fixed. to and rotates with the twister. thread passes through an orifice 59 in the forward end portion of the twister. and is coiled about the strip by the rotation of the twister.

The delivering end of the twister projects into a tube 60 in axial alineinent with the twister and rotated in a direction opposite that of the rotation of the twister, by suitable connections with the driving shaft 36. The twisted strip passes through the tube 60 and the confining thread 26 is applied to the strip within the said tube. This thread is wound on a spool 61, carried by a head 62 which is fixed to and rotates with the tube. The thread 26 passes from the spool through an orifice 63 in the tube. and is coiled around the strip by the rotation of the tube, the tension of the thread 26 being, as before stated, sufficient to maintain the twist.

The completed strip is drawn outward from the tube 60 by feed rolls 64 and 65. the roll 64 being journaled in fixed bearings 67, and positively driven by suitable connections with the driving shaft 36. and the roll 65 being geared to the roll 64. and journaled in sliding bearings 68. so that it is free to rise and fall.

Any suitable form of take-up for the completed strip may be provided. As such a The tit!

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device forms no essential part of the present invention, it is not illustrated in the drawings. If deemed desirable or necessary prior to weaving a strip produced by the machine, a suitable twist may be imparted to the strip by any well known means, as the strips are commonly cut into lengths not exceeding fifteen (15) yards to be woven.

The method now commonly employed in preparing carpet strips for weaving is to fray, by hand, strips cut from a piece of carpet and then weave the frayed pieces one by one in a hand loom. Tapestry or Brussels carpet is only twenty-seven (27) inches wide and, as it is necessary on account of the weave of the carpet to cut across the width thereof, only short piecescan be produced. These, when frayed deep enough to produce a rug having a good pile, are very frail and easily broken during the weaving operation. The machine herein. de scribed will produce relatively strong, well frayed strips of any suitable length for weaving, which strips can be handled with out danger of breaking during the weaving operation- The debris formed by the saws 47 is removed by a blower, including a casing 69 and a fan 70 in said casing.

The completed strips may be arranged side by side in a rug as the weft members, and interwoven with suitable warp threads of smaller size.

The securing thread 25 first applied, may be called the primary thread, and the subsequently applied thread 26' the secondary thread.

When the strip sections are cut from fabric containing a considerable quantity of textile material known as shoddy, the operation of fraying the edges of the strip may be omitted, and the saws may be omitted from the machine.

The means for driving the-various rotating parts from. the driving shaft may be as follows:

The main drive shaft 36 is provided with tight and loose pulleys 71, 72, respectively, on which may run a belt 71, connected with. any suitable source of power. The belts connecting the various pulleys are shown co'n ventionally by dot and dash lines. A pal ley 73 011 the main drive shaft rotates the spools 33, 38 through a belt 73 passing over a pulley 74; carried on the shaft 48. A worm 75 located on said shaft, turns a worm wheel 76 located on shaft 77, causing rotation of the latter shaft. A pulley 78 carried by the shaft 7?, and a belt 78 passing over a pulley 79 on shaft 35, rotate the drum 3% and cause the rotation of the spool 33 by frictional contact with the drum. A pulley 80 on shaft 35, and a belt 80, passing over a pulley 81 on shaft 40, causes the rotation of the spool 38.

The shaft 77 also carriers pulleys 82 and 92, for the purpose of driving the rolls 64:, 65 and the serrated feed roll A l. The pulley 82 and a belt 82, passing over a pulley 83 on shaft 68, cause the roll 6i and the roll 65 which is geared to roll 64, to be positively driven. The pulley 92, by means of a belt 93, passing over a pulley 9% on the shaft 45, rotates the serrated feed roll A l.

The saws 47, ly in opposite directions, by means of belts 7 81, passing over pulleys 73 and 85 on the main shaft 36, and pulleys 74: and 84 on the respective arbors l8, 48. The belt 84% is crossed,'to cause the saw driven thereby to rotate oppositely.

'The fan 20 is rotated by a pulley 86, a belt 86 passing over the drive pulley 87 and the driven pulley 86 on the fan shaft.

Each of the twisters 53 and 60 are driven in opposite directions, by suitable connection with the main drive shaft 36, such as pulleys 88, 90, having belts 88, 90, passing over pulleys 89, 91 secured to the twisters 53 and 60, respectively, but thebelt 90 is crossed so that the twister 60 is rotated in the opposite direction to the rotation of the twister 53.

I claim:

1. That improvement in the method of making pieced rug strips which consists in cutting strip sections from woven fabric so that each section has longitudinal and transverse threads, assembling the sections end to end, so that their ends overlap, applying a longitudinal reinforcing thread extending the entire length of the strip, .and helically winding a securing thread around the strip to secure the reinforcing thread thereto.

That improvement in the method of making pieced rug strips which consists in cutting strip sections from woven fabric so that each section has longitudinal and transverse threads, assembling the sections end to end, so that their ends overlap, applying two longitudinal reinforcing threads to the strip, said threads extending the entire length of the strip on opposite sides thereof, and helically winding a securing tl'ireadaround the strip to secure the reinforcing threads thereto.

That improvement in the method of making pieced rug strips which consists in cutting strip sections from woven fabric so that each section has longitudinal and transverse threads, assembling the sections end to end, so that their ends overlap, applying a longitudinal reinforcing thread extending the entire length of the strip, and helically winding securing threads in opposite directions around the strip.

4'. That improvement in the method of making pieced rug strips which consists in cutting strip sections from woven fabric so A? are rotated simultaneousthat each section has longitudinal and transverse threads, assembling the sections end to end so that their ends overlap, fraying the edges of the strip, applying a longitudinal reinforcing thread to the entire length of the central portion of the strip, and helically winding a securing thread around the central portion of the strip between the frayed edges thereof to secure the reinforcing thread.

5. The improved method of making pieced rug strips which consists in cutting strip sections from woven fabric so that each section has longitudinal and transverse threads, assembling the sections end to end so that their ends overlap, fraying the edges of the strip, applying a longitudinal reinforcing thread to the entire length of the central portion of the strip, helically winding primary securing thread around the strip, twisting the strip, and helically windin a secondary securing thread around the strip, the secondary thread being applied at a distance from the point of application of the primary thread and maintaining'the twist.

6. A machine for making rug strips comprising means for guiding a laminated strip composed of sections forming a pieced rug strip, and a pair of tapes between which the sections are interposed, means for separating the tapes from the pierced strip and winding up the tapes, feeding means acting on the portion of the pieced strip emerging from between the tapes, means for applying a longitudinally extending connecting thread to the strip, a tubular rotating twister arranged to receive the stri and the connecting thread, and provided wlth means for engaging the strip to twist the latter, and means carried by the twister for helically coiling a securing thread around the central portion of the strip and around the connecting cord.

7. A machine for making rug strips substantially as specified by claim 6, comprising also a rotary tube in axial alinement with said twister and rotated oppositely thereto, and means carried by said tube for helically coiling a secondary securing thread around the central portion of the strip and around the connecting cord.

8. A machine for making rug strips comprising means for guiding a laminated strip composed of sections forming a pieced rug strip, and a pair of tapes between which the sections are interposed, means for separating the tapes from the pieced strip and Winding up h ape fee ing me ns cting onthe portion of the pieced strip emerging from between the tapes, fraying means acting on opposite edges of the pieced strip where the latter is controlled by the feeding means, means for applying a longitudinally' extending connecting thread to the central portion of the frayed strip, a tubular rotating twister arranged to receive the frayed strip and the connecting thread, and provided with means for engaging the strip to twist the latter, and means carried by the twister for helically coiling a secur ing thread around the central portion of the frayed strip and around the connecting cord.

9. A machine for making rug strips substantially as specified by claim 6, comprising also a rotary tube in axial alinement with said twister and rotated oppositely thereto, means carried by said tube for helically coiling a securing thread around the central portion of the frayed strip and around the connecting cord, and feed rolls arranged to withdraw the strip from said tube.

10. A machine for making rug strips comprising a fixed guide having a concave face, a feed wheel having a peripheral face conforming to said concave face, so that a portion of an incomplete strip may be grasped and fed between said faces, a pair of oppositely rotating saws arranged to act simultaneously on opposite edges of the grasped portion of the strip and fray said edges, a guide arranged to receive the frayed strip, means for supplying a connecting thread to said guide, a rotary twister coaxial with the guide, having means for engaging the frayed edges of the strip and twisting the latter, a head fixed to the twister, and means carried by the head for supplying a securing thread to the twister, the latter having an orifice to receive said thread.

11. A machine for making rug strips comprising a fixed guide having a concave face, a feed wheel having a peripheral face conforming to said concave face, so that a portion of an incomplete strip may be grasped and fed between said faces, a pair of oppositely rotating saws arranged to act simultaneously on opposite edges of the grasped portion of the strip and fray said edges, a guide arranged to receive the frayed strip, means for supplying a connecting thread to said guide, a rotary twister coaxial with the guide, having means for engaging the frayed edges of the strip and twisting the latter, a head fixed to the twister, means carried by the head for supplying a securing thread to the twister, the latter having an orifice to receive said thread, a rotary tube coaxial with the twister and rotated in the opposite direction, a head fixed to the tube, and means carried by the head for supplying a twist maintaining securing thread to the twisted strip, the tube having an orifice to receive said thread.

12. A machine for making rug strips comprising a fixed guide having a concave face, a feed wheel having a peripheral face conforming to said concave face, so that a portion of an incomplete strip may be grasped and fed between said faces, a pair of oppositely rotating saws arranged to act simultaneously on opposite edges of the grasped portion of the strip and fray said edges, a guide arranged to receive the frayed strip, means for supplying a connecting thread to said guide, a rotary twister coaxial with the guide, having means for engaging the frayed edges of the strip and twisting the latter, a head fixed to the twister, means carried by the head for supplying a securing thread to the twister, the latter having an orifice to receive said thread, a rotary tube coaxial with the twister and rotated in the opposite direction, a head fixed to the tube, means carried by the head for supplying a twistmaintaining securing thread to the twisted strip, the tube having an orifice to receive said thread, and means for withdrawing the completed strip from the tube.

13. A machine for making rug strips substantially as specified by claim 10, comprising also a stand, a pair of guide rolls on said stand adjacent to said guide and feed wheel, upper and lower tape-winding spools supported by the stand, and means for r0- tating said spools, the arrangement being such that sections collectively forming a pieced rug strip and a pair of tapes between which said sections are interposed may pass between the nip of said guide rolls, the tapes being separated from the pieced strip at said guide rolls and wound upon said spools.

let. A machine for making rug strips substantially as specified by claim 11, said feed wheel being movable toward and from its operative position relative to said fixed guide.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

FREDERICK J. HENRY. 

